I came back to London last week without being affected by ash clouds (thank God!). The issue we always encounter when we travel in Europe is renting an automatic car. Majority of European drive a manual car and it is quite hard to find an automatic car to rent in Europe. Even if an automatic car is available, there is not much choice (usually intermediate class or bigger) and more expensive than a manual car. Luckily we could get automatic compact car this time, but pro-shift gear M has been always telling me to take a driving lesson again to be able to drive a manual car. I got my license with a shift gear quite long ago and am so used to drive an automatic car, so I am quite fearful to drive a manual car. I had been procrastinating to take a driving lesson, but I found that AA (Automobile Association) provide a free 2-hour refresher driving course ‘Drive Confident‘ if you are eligible, so I applied the course.

According to AA survey, 600,000 have been off the road so long they have ‘forgotten how to drive’ in UK. The AA Charitable Trust for the Environment and Road Safety offers 2,000 free Drive Confident packages (two one-hour sessions or one two-hour session with a fully-qualified AA driving instructor) designed to help drivers improve their confidence and skills.

The program is just launched in March 2010, and I probably could get it as I applied just after the scheme started. I applied in early April via AA website and after over two weeks, I received a “congratulations, you are qualified for our program!” phone call from AA, when I completely forgot about the application. It was just few days before our departure and I couldn’t make it before this trip, but I did my first session today. Last night, I read 35-page booklet AA sent me to review some issues lapsed drivers have to deal with. I was quite nervous before the session, but my twenty-something young and gentle instructor Mr. R was so nice and made me feel a bit more confident in using a shift gear, though I made the car engine stopped few times during the session.

My next session is exactly a week after. I have to practice minimum of five hours on my own before the next session, according to the AA booklet and Mr. R also asked me to. M forced me to take a lesson but is quite reluctant to sit next me during my practice, but I will rent a car from Streetcar (I wrote in this blog in the past) and whip him to be my companion to prepare myself for the next session!

M had a ‘I WANT A CAR!!’ attack recently, and started to research what car to buy — but I was not sure if practical. We don’t have a secure car parking at our apartment, and I don’t want to park on the street. I never thought that we need a car, as we live in central London, and we can go anywhere with our Vespa. Also we can rent a car anytime when we travel. But M insisted so much to have a car, and we were seriously considering to buy it (his favorite was a new Fiat 500), then we found a perfect compromise — Streetcarcar sharing. I was looking for a rent-a-car company around here for our trip to Cottswolds, and happened to find that there are several Streetcar locations around our apartment. With Streetcar, we don’t need a parking space nor cost related to maintain a car, and can use a car whenever we need it.

We registered with Streetcar. Annual fees are £59.50 for primary driver + £29.75 for a partner = £89.25. Membership includes comprehensive insurance but you can pay extra to lower excess. You can reserve a car either on internet or over the phone. We had to make a phone call to reserve an automatic car, as I am not confident in driving manual (manual car is dominant in Europe). Cars at Streetcar are solely Volkswagen (and we love VW!). Prices for renting are £3.95/£5.95 (per hour) or £39.50/£49.50 (per day). Mileage is free up to 30 miles a day, and extra mileage will be charged for 23p per mile. Therefore it is cost more if you go far, than driving nearby. You don’t have to lengthy process of check in/check out, like other rent-a-car companies. Touch in with your Streetcard (in the photo above) on the card reader to unlock the car, and get the keys by entering your PIN on the hand-held terminal in the glovebox. After checking the car for any damage, off you go. You can contact Streetcar with the hand-held terminal, if necessary. You don’t have to pay gas but use the car’s fuel card which is accepted at all major petrol station.

Although the extra mileage cost more than we expected, Streetcar was easy and convenient, and the condition of the car was good. It is going to be a perfect time to travel in England soon. We tend to go other European countries for our vacation so far, but we’ll definitely travel more in the UK as well, with Streetcar.